


Aftercare

by anditwasjustathought



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Aftercare, BDSM, F/F, dom reassurance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-11
Updated: 2017-04-11
Packaged: 2018-10-17 14:02:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,637
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10595514
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anditwasjustathought/pseuds/anditwasjustathought
Summary: Pearl has dark fantasies, and Jasper worries that she enjoys them a little too much herself.(Post-BDSM scene, focuses on the aftercare for both parties and their relationship. There is some mention of the nature of the scene, which was rough and involved pretend noncon.)





	

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by fanart I commissioned from mamabutts, found here on tumblr(WARNING: Involves a lot of cuts and bruises, Pearl looks pretty beat up as the scene was very intense): http://anditwasjustathought.tumblr.com/post/159442488361/aftercare-a-jaspearl-fic

Pearl wasn't one for showers or baths. Gems didn't need to bathe to keep good hygiene; they could just  _ will _ most any mess away. But there was something  _ wonderfully _ soothing about the feeling of a warm, damp cloth wiping away the sweat and tears after their more intense sessions. It was like removing whatever bindings or costumes she had worn; the grime was just another layer that had to be peeled away to bring them both back to reality.

And it certainly helped that Jasper was not only thorough, but  _ gentle. _ It would never cease to amaze her how even the most sensitive and severe bruises--in the instances where such bruising was involved--were tended to without Jasper so much as making her wince. The warm water and gentle caresses only served to make her skin less tender, her muscles less tense, and sometimes she found herself falling asleep with how calming it all was.

Pearl had almost dozed off when Jasper spoke, barely loud enough to hear through her sleepy haze. She looked up, having to pull her head away from where it was nestled against her shoulder in order to see her clearly. "Hmm?"

"I said, I would never really hurt you. You know that, right?"

She curled up tighter as she gave her a puzzled look, feet and legs joining the rest of her body in Jasper's lap. "Of course," she said matter-of-factly, while stifling a yawn.

"I mean it." Her voice was still quiet, but the determination and overwhelming sincerity were clear. "Unless you ask me for it, unless we're starting a scene, I'd  _ never--" _

"I know, Jasper," Pearl interrupted gently. She gave a warm smile as she brought a hand up to cup her cheek. "That's why I trust you with all of this." 

“Mm,” was the only response she gave before she dipped the washcloth in the bowl of water again, and resumed cleaning off her back. Soon she was being lifted up, just a bit, so Jasper could reach her backside and hips. Her vulva was carefully avoided for now; it was still a bit too swollen and sore to be touched just yet. Once she was set down again, she uncurled her legs and parted her knees to give access to her inner thighs.

Pearl thought of settling her head back on her shoulder, but found herself watching intently as Jasper worked instead. This had been one of their most intense scenes yet. It was hard to spot a piece of skin that wasn’t mottled with bruises or bite marks, and there were even scratches from her claws this time around. All perfectly placed where instructed, all discussed in detail beforehand, but out of context it would be easy to assume that the ‘capture’ and ensuing ‘attack’ were  _ very  _ real. No wonder Jasper was experiencing guilt.

“You know,” she said carefully, as she straightened her posture and pressed her knees back together, “I wouldn’t mind toning it down in the future if you’re uncomfortable with this level of intensity.”

The hand guiding the cloth stilled, allowing excess water to run down her shin to her ankle. Her head was down, but Pearl could imagine the troubled look on her lover’s face. “I’m not. That’s the problem.”

“What?” She tilted her head and frowned. “I’m not sure I follow.”

“I like when you want it intense.”

“Well, I would hope so, or it wouldn’t be very fair of me to--”

“No, you don’t understand,” Jasper said as she made eye contact, and oh, the look on her face was positively  _ heartbreaking.  _ “I like it when you scream. I like it when you cry. I like leaving marks, making you bruise and bleed. I like…” She sighed, shoulders slumped, and looked down again. “I like it when you struggle. And it  _ scares _ me. It’s like I’m some kind of monster.”

“Oh, Jasper,  _ no.”  _ She put a hand to her cheek again, tilting her head towards her so she could meet her eyes. “None of that makes you a ‘monster’. It’s all pretend, and you know why I like it. You’re  _ helping _ me.” They’d talked about the reasons behind her fantasies before. For Pearl it was a way of coping. It was cathartic. When discussed beforehand, with someone she trusted to stick to her boundaries and a safeword in place,  _ she _ had the real control over the situation. The game started and stopped at her command. It was like she was taking part of her life back, part of her livelihood that had been stolen an eternity ago. In a weird sort of way, the moment the shackles were in place, she felt  _ free. _ “That you get something more out of it too is a good thing.”

“I know, but…” Jasper cut herself off with a sigh, and resumed bathing her. Pearl frowned, then gently placed a hand atop the one guiding the cloth.

“Shall I guide you?”

“Yes.”

She let Pearl take hold of her wrist and nudge her along as she saw fit. This helped when Jasper needed a little more aftercare herself. It was a reminder that she hadn’t done anything wrong, wasn’t doing anything that Pearl didn’t want. Their hands moving together brought into focus that everything about what had just transpired was a joint effort, completely reciprocated, consensual, and  _ appreciated. _

They spent the next several moments in a comfortable silence. By the time Pearl spoke up again, her legs were thoroughly cleaned and the cloth was freshly dampened. “Do you remember last month, when we tried the blindfold?”

“Yeah,” Jasper said, shoulders tensing just a bit. The incident still shook her. Pearl gave her wrist a reassuring squeeze. She looked perturbed by the thought of it too, but she had a point to make, and it was the first and most significant incident that came to mind.

“Tell me what you remember. Walk me through it.”

Jasper hesitated, but only for a moment. “I wanted to try blindfolding you. You said yes. You didn’t think it would do anything for you, but...”

“But I said I could think of no reason why it would be unpleasant,” Pearl finished when she trailed off. “I was wrong though, wasn’t I?”

She nodded. “You froze up. Wouldn’t respond to any checks. You were completely catatonic.” Her voice nearly choked on the last word. The image of Pearl in that moment was still fresh in her mind, still haunted her. It was the most scared she’d been in a long while.

“I was,” Pearl said as she finished guiding the cloth over her torso. Her shoulders were next, and she hummed contentedly as Jasper gave them a little massage. It would have been easy to get lost in the sensation, to relax fully, to let herself drift away to sleep like she almost had earlier. 

But she couldn’t do that now. Not when Jasper needed her reassurance. So she rolled her shoulders and stretched her arms out in front of her, back arching, before straightening her posture and taking Jasper’s hand in her own again. Now was a good time to clean off her sides; the slight gymnastics needed to keep guiding her hand while lifting her arms up for access would keep her awake easily. “What happened after that?”

“I removed the blindfold and untied you.”

_ “Oh?” _ Pearl’s voice was almost teasing, and she had an amused, knowing smile on her face. This was exactly what she wanted to bring attention to. “How strange. I don’t remember invoking a safeword.”

“You didn’t,” she said, sounding and looking perplexed by the sudden change in tone.

“Yet you stopped. You ended the scene.”

“Of course. I didn’t need to hear a safeword to see you weren’t enjoying it.”

“Interesting.” She tapped a finger on her chin for dramatic effect. It looked a little silly when she was guiding Jasper to wash that same arm with her other hand, but it got the point across.  “You could have taken advantage of my mental state. You could have used my inability to voice a safeword as an excuse. You had the perfect opportunity to abuse my trust. But you didn’t. You _ stopped.” _ Her smile became more serene, and she paused her guidance, taking a moment to make sure Jasper met her eyes. “That doesn’t sound like something a monster would do, does it?”

“No,” she said with a sigh, looking sheepish.

Pearl stifled a giggle, and outstretched her other arm to be cleaned, twisting and bending the limb to control where the cloth went next. “Exactly. I’ve been in the presence of monsters before, and you don’t fit that mould in the slightest. You’re a good,  _ trustworthy _ Gem, Jasper. Don’t ever doubt that.”

Jasper sighed, this one full of relief, and placed a kiss upon Pearl’s wrist. “Thank you.”

“Thank  _ you.”  _ She leaned in to kiss her cheek, then opened her legs just enough that she could help Jasper wash between them. She stopped her when she went to pick up the bowl of water. “Why don’t we wash each other’s hair at home, in my room?”

For the first time since the aftercare began, Jasper smiled. “That sounds nice.”

“I thought you’d say that.” Pearl stood, then phased on her clothes. She put the washcloth and bowl away in her Gem as Jasper got to her feet.

The walk to the warp pad was a long one, but calming and scenic, and they held hands as they enjoyed the ambient noises of the kindergarten. Just before they stepped on the platform Pearl stopped, and squeezed her hand to get her attention. “I love you.”

Jasper’s eyes widened, as if hearing the words for the first time. Then, she smiled. “I love you, too.”

They took the last step together, and warped away.


End file.
